Rodents like rats and hamsters give birth to hairless tiny babies. Since guinea pigs are also rodents, we might think that they have the same appearance at birth, right?
So, are newborn guinea pigs born with hair?
The quick answer is yes. Guinea pigs, unlike some rodents, give birth to a mini-version of themselves. Thus, they have hair all over their body just like their mothers.
Now that you know guinea pigs are born with hair, what about the long-haired guinea pigs? Are they born with long hair too?
Well, worry no more because I’m here to answer your questions. We better get the learning started!
Are Long Haired Guinea Pigs Born With Long Hair?
No, they are not born with long hair like their mothers. However, they definitely have hair all over their bodies just like other baby guinea pigs.
If you compare it to a normal baby guinea pig, they have longer hair but not as long as their adult versions.
The hair will definitely grow longer over time and eventually will appear like their parents. Well, that is their breed and that is what they will become in the future.
Here are the most relevant examples of long-haired guinea pigs that you may find interesting to have as pets:
| Abyssinian Guinea Pig | Peruvian Guinea Pig | Texel Guinea Pig |
| Silkie Guinea Pig | Coronet Guinea Pig | Lunkarya Guinea Pig |
| Sheba Guinea Pig | Alpaca Guinea Pig | Merino Guinea Pig |
Are Baby Guinea Pigs Born With Fur?
Yes, they are born with fur. The thick growth of hair that covers the skin of many different animals is called fur.
Since guinea pigs are born with hair all over their body, therefore they are born with fur.
In addition, guinea pigs can be classified by their fur or hair. Here’s a table that shows the common classifications of guinea pigs.
| Short-haired Guinea Pigs | Long-haired Guinea Pigs | Hairless Guinea Pigs |
| Typical guinea pigs that we know with a thick fur coat but not too long. | These are guinea pigs with noticeable long hair or fur. | Unlike the first two mentioned, these are guinea pigs with no fur. |
All of these types of guinea pigs are cute and lovely. It all depends on what you like or prefer. One thing is for sure, these small buddies will bring a smile to your face.
What Do Baby Guinea Pigs Look Like When They’re Born?
Baby guinea pigs look like the mini version of their parents. Usually, they weigh around 0.13 to 0.25 lbs (60 to 115 g) with body lengths around 3 to 5 in (7.62 to 12.7 cm).
Well, guinea pigs with hair are born with hair, while guinea pigs with no hair are also born with no hair.
The notable thing about baby guinea pigs is they are born capable of survival. They are born with open eyes to see their surroundings and ears to hear what’s going on.
Unlike other newborn animals, newborn guinea pigs can move fast just like their parents.
Well, they are surely born-ready, isn’t that great? Especially, if you are a busy pet owner you don’t have to worry much about your newborn guinea pigs.
Fun Fact: Did you know that baby guinea pigs are called pups?
How Can You Tell How Old A Baby Guinea Pig Is?
There are different ways to tell how old your guinea pig is.
Here are some of the ways:
A. Consult A Veterinarian
As always, experts know the best. So, if you just recently bought a guinea pig as a pet and you are not sure how old it is, you can definitely seek their help.
Moreover, there are other benefits that you can have if you go to a vet. Here are some of them:
1. Veterinarians know what breed your guinea pig is. They can also tell you if it’s a pure breed or a crossbreed type of guinea pig.
2. They can also confirm to you your cavies’ gender. This will help us in giving names or choosing the stuff for our guinea pigs.
3. Vets can identify if your pet is sick or not, and they can recommend the proper medication for your sick pet.
4. They can give you the best advice for your guinea pigs’ activities and diet. This way, you can provide your pet with a happier and healthier life.
B. Count On Your Own
This is the simplest way, but it can only be accurate if you have the guinea pig at the very moment it was born.
Then, you can mark the calendar to be aware of its age. However, we don’t have the same timeline as guinea pigs.
Here’s a table to show the timeline equivalent of humans and guinea pigs.
| Human Timeline | Guinea Pig Age Equivalent |
| 3 months | 2.5 years old |
| 6 months | 5 years old |
| 1 year | 10 years old |
| 2 years | 20 years old |
| 3 years | 30 years old |
| 4 years | 40 years old |
| 5 years | 50 years old |
| 6 years | 60 years old |
| 7 years | 70 years old |
| 8 years | 80 years old |
| 9 years | 90 years old |
| 10 years | 100 years old |
C. Check These Signs
If you don’t have a veterinarian around or you did not raise the guinea pig since its birth, you can look at the following signs:
1. The nails of the young guinea pigs are short, pointy, and almost transparent in color.
2. Thick and round (in diameter) opaque yellowish nails indicate that the guinea pig is a year older.
2. Teeth are white for younger guinea pigs, while yellowish for older guinea pigs.
3. Testicles for male cavies appear around 6 weeks old in guinea pigs.
4. The weight of a 3-month-old guinea pig is around 1.12 lbs (508 g), then it can grow from 1.5 to 2.6 lbs (680 to 1,192 g) at one year old.
Final Thoughts
In this article, you learned that guinea pigs are born with hair. They look like their parents at birth. Moreover, you also learned the ways how to know the age of your guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs and all other pet animals give birth in their own ways.
They may have similarities and differences at birth, but what is more important is they are given the chance to live.
Let’s give our pets the best life they could ever hope for.
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